Raiders SS Karl Joseph was the team's highest-graded defender in 2018

One of the biggest surprises of the 2018 season for the Oakland Raiders was the rapid development of safety Karl Joseph. In the first eight weeks of the season, Joseph played just 11 total snaps as he was benched. He did miss time with a leg injury, but the team wasn’t hiding their dissatisfaction with his play.

At one point in the year, it seemed very likely that the team would be moving on from him at the trade deadline. For whatever reason, things just weren’t working out for Joseph in Oakland.

But suddenly, something clicked for the third-year safety from West Virginia. From Week 11 on, Joseph was one of the best safeties in all of football. Even despite the slow start, Joseph finished the season as the Raiders highest-graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus.

Not a lot went right for the Raiders last season, but the development of two of their young secondary players in Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph will be the key to any future success. As Joseph enters his fourth season in the NFL, expect him to continue right where he left off.

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